Free water butts for Kent gardeners and allotment holders

02 July 2019

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Kent gardeners and allotment holders are being offered free heavy-duty clean plastic barrels by a water company which wants to recycle them as water butts or storage containers for the good of the environment.

The barrels, which are comparable in size to a traditional oil drum and weigh 8.5 kilos, are surplus to requirements at South East Water treatment plants once their harmless contents have been used in the drinking water production process.

The company usually pays to have them taken away for re-cycling but has hit upon the idea of giving them away free of charge to anyone who wants a large container to capture rain water and use it in the garden for the good of vegetables or flowers.

“Plants prefer rain water to tap water,” said Nick Bell, South East Water Regional Production Manager, “and this is a great way of saving water and saving money.”

Members of the public are invited to turn up at the South East Water address below on the specified date to collect one or more of the containers on a first-come-first-served basis.

There is no limit to the number that can be taken away in a suitable vehicle by each individual.